Paper fastener



O. A. ROSS PAPER FASTENER May 9, 1933.

Filed NOV. 21, 1932 INVENTOR Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES FFICEPATENT OSCAR A. ROSS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PAPER FASTENER Application filed Ilovember 21, 1932. Serial No. 643,773.

This invention refers to paper fasteners and more particularly to thatclass of fasteners for clamping together a number of perforated sheetsof paper such as correspondence.

One object of the invention is to furnish a fastener of economicalconstruction at the same time giving satisfactory service during the usethereof.

Another object is to furnish a paper fastener wherein the fastener partssecuring the papers are positively locked in closed position to preventaccidental opening of the fastener and resultant misalignment of thepapers secured thereby.

Another object is to furnish a novel form of locking member for paperfasteners capable of being locked and unlocked by the movement of onefinger of an operator.

Another object is to furnisha novel form of stop for locking membersslidable on keepers of paper fasteners for constraining a predeterminedmovement thereof.

Another object is to furnish a novel form of bendable finger for paperfastener clamping members having male locking portions formed thereoncooperating with female locking portions formed on locking membersarranged to be locked over said fingers.

Another object is to furnish a novel form of keeper for paper fastenerswherein rails provided for supporting locking members also act asre-enforcements for said keeper.

Another object is to furnish a paper fastener having a comparatively lowheight, or thickness whereby filing space in filing cabinets iseconomized.

Another object is to furnish a novel form of re-enforcement on thekeeper of paper fasteners without adding to the thickness of saidfastener. V

Another object is to furnish a novel form of keeper for paper fastenerswherein the paper is held in substantially flat parallel planes afterbeing secured in the fastener thereby economizing in filing space infile cabinets.

Another object is to furnish novel means for supporting locking memberson keepers of paper fasteners whereby the keeper is formed of acomparatively low height, or thickness without interfering with the freemovement of said locking members when adding or removing papers from thefastener.

Another object is to furnish a novel form lock said fingers.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of theinvention progresses and the novel features thereof will be pointed outin the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is made to theaccompanying drawing wherein embodiments of the invention areillustrated, and wherein like reference numerals refer to correspondingparts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is an enlargedplan view of one embodiment of the invention taken on line l-1 of Fig.2, and Fig. 2 is a part sectional,

part elevational view of the same taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig.3 is an enlarged sectional view taken online IIIIII of Fig. 1, and Figs.4 to 6 are super-enlargedsectional views of modified forms of theinvention, and Fig. 7 is perspectiveview 0f the embodiment of theinvention shown in Figs. lto 3 inclusive.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 7, paper fastener 1, formed of sheetmetal comprises clamping member 2 having base portion 2a and fingerportions 3 joined to each end thereof, said fingers being arranged topass through and be bent at orifices 5 in keeper 4. Keeper 4 comprisesplate or body .6 haV-.

ing end portions 7 joined to center or base portion 8 formed betweenupwardly extend ing wall portions 10, to the upper edges of which arejoined flat rail portions 11, said rail portions being'formed along theedges of keeper plate 6 but terminating short of the ends thereof, theends of said rail portions forming stop portions 12 arranged to limitthe sliding movement of lockin members 13 slidably mounted on plate 6.nd portions 7 are provided with re-enforcing portions 21 of U-shapedform, the legs thereof extending inwardly from the ends of the plate 6and preferably beyond the ends of the orifices 5 for rigidifying the endportions 7.

Locking members 13 comprise plate or bridge portion 14 having grooved orchannel shoe portions 15 formed at each end thereof and arranged toslide between stop portions 12. Joined to the edges of plate portion 14are actuating flange portions 16 between which an operators fingers maybe placed for more readily sliding said locking members 13. Also formedon plate portion 14 is the downwardly facing annular male lookingportion 17 arranged to enter into the opening 18 in the free end offingers 3 for matingly locking the members 13 at predetermined andvariable locations on rail portions 11, the inherent resilient upwardmove ment of said fingers after bending downwardly thereof acting toretain the locking projections 17 in said openings 18, said projectionssnapping into said openings as the locking members 13 are slid over saidfingers. The snapping of said projection into said opening forms anaural indication that said .locking member and finger are positively andmatingly locked together for preventing accidental sliding movement ofsaid locking member. The end portions 7 are formed with re-enforcing ribor groove 21 surrounding orifice '5. The locking projections 17 arepreferably formed by initially perforating the plate portion 14 andthereafter forcing an annular portion surrounding said perfo- V rationdownwardly to form said projection.

In applying the fastener 1, the fingers 3 are inserted through theperforated paper sheets, whereafter keeper 4 is applied by insertingsaid fingers through the orifices 5, the fingers being bent downwardlybetween rails 9 whereafter the locking members 13 are slid over'the freeends of said fingers while held pressed against the base portion 8, thefingers then being released and the locking members slid thereover untilthe locking projection 17 snaps into the locking opening 18 in thismanner positively locking said finger and locking member againstsubstantial relative movement.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of fastener 1 showing how thelocking projection 17 of the locking member 13 enters the orifice 18 ofthe fingers 3 for positively locking said members and fingers againstrela tive sliding movement.

- Referring to the modified form of fastener 25 shown by Fig. 4, thefingers of clamping member '2 are formed with upwardly extendingimperforate male looking projection 26 arranged to'enter upwardlyextending imperforate female locking recess 27 formed in plate portion28 of locking member 29, said locking member belng similar to lockingmember 13, the flange portions 16 being upward movement of said fingersafter bending acting to frictionally constrain locking projection 26 inthe recess of recessed portion 27.

Referring to the modified form of paper fastener 35 shown in Fig. 5, thelocking members 36 comprise plate or bridge portion 37 having orifice 38arranged to receive annular male locking projection 39 formed on finger3, the application of this fastener being affected in substantially thesame manner as described for applying fastener 1. The actuating flangeportion 16 has been omitted from looking members 36.

Referringto the modified form of paper fastener 44 shown in Fig. 6, thelocking member 45 comprises plate or bridge portion 46 having downwardlyextending imperforate male locking projection 47 formed therein arrangedto enter or engage downwardly extending female locking recess portion 48formed on fingers 3, the application of this fastener beingsubstantially as described for the application of fastener 25.

The various means for locking the fingers 3 and the locking memberstogether may be substituted by the various locking means shown in mycopending application Ser. No. 643,774, filed November 21st, 1932.

It is to be noted that by having the rails 9 formed short of theorifices 5 the file operator can more readily confine the bend of thefinger immediately at the or'ificethereby more tightly binding the papersheets together and therefore economizing in file cabinet space.

It is also to be noted that by employing the connecting or reenforcingwall 10 as the sole reenforcement longitudinally of the keeper plate 6,the keeper 4 has a comparatively low height or thickness thereby furthereconomiz ing in file cabinet space.

I claim 1. A paper fastener comprising, a clamping member having spacedfingers, perforations formed in the fingers, a keeper member comprising,an elongated keeper plate having perforations formed at each end thereofarranged to receive the fingers of the clampportions, and lockingprojections formed on the locking members arranged to enter theperforations of the fingers for positively looking the locking membersagainst accidental removal from over the fingers.

2. A paper fastener comprising, a clamping member having spaced fingers,perforations formed in the fingers, a keeper member comprising anelongated keeper plate having perforations formed at each end thereofarranged to receive the fingers of the clamping member therethrough,spaced parallel rail portions formed on the keeper plate, lockingmembers arranged to slide over the fingers after the bending downwardlythereof over the keeper member, a bridge portion formed thereon havingshoe portions formed at each end thereof arranged to embrace the railportions of the keeper plate for slidable movement thereon, and adownwardly extending locking projection formed on the bridge portionarranged to enter the perforation in the fingers as the locking memberis slid thereover.

3. A paper fastener comprising, a clamping member having spaced fingers,a keeper member comprising an elongated keeper plate having perfo*ations formed at each end thereof arranged to receive the fingers ofthe base member therethrough, parallel rail portions formed on each edgeof the keeper plate arranged to form a channel space therebetween,locking members having a bridge portion extending across the channelspace, a grooved shoe portion formed at each end of the bridge portionembracing the rail portions being slidable thereon, and upwardlyextending flange portions formed at each edge of the bridge portion forurging the free ends of the fingers downwardly as the locking membersslide thereover.

4:. In a paper fastener, a clamping member having spaced fingersthereon, and a keeper member comprising an elongated keeper plate havingperforated end portions for receiving the fingers therethrough,re-enforced portions on the end portions surrounding the ends and oneside of the perforations for reenforcing the end portions, a baseportion on the keeper plate extending between the end portions thereof,spaced rail portions formed along each edge of the base portionpositioned thereabove, stop portions at each end of the rail portions,and locking members having shoe portions slidably embracing the railportions arranged to slide over the fin gers after the bendingdownwardly thereof over the keeper plate, the shoe portions engaging thestop portions at ends of the rail portions for limiting the movement ofthe locking members on the rail portions.

5. In a paper fastener, a clamping member havin spaced fingers thereon,and a keeper member comprising an elongatcd keeper plate havingperforated end portions for receiving the fingers therethrough,re-enforced portions on the end portions surrounding the ends and oneside of the perforations for reenforcing the end portions,-abase portionon the keeper plate extending between the end portions thereof, spacedrail portions formed along each edge of the rail portions positionedthereabove, and locking members slidably embracing the rail portionsarranged to slide over the fingers after the bending downwardly thereofover'the keeper plate.

6. A locking member for paper fastener keepers comprising, a bridgeportion having an opening therein, a downwardly extending annularlocking portion surrounding the opening for locking the member, andgrooved shoe portions formed at each end of the bridge portion forslidably'supporting th member. 1

7. A locking member for paper fastener keepers comprising, a bridgeportion for sliding the member on the fastener keeper, an upwardlyextending imperforate locking boss portion formed spacedly between theedges of the bridge portion, the boss portion having a downwardly facinglocking recess therein for locking the member, and shoe portions formedat each end of the bridge portion for slidably supporting the member.

8. A locking member for paper fastener keepers comprising, asubstantially fiat bridge portion for sliding the member on the keeper,a downwardly extending locking portion formed on the bridge portionspacedly between the edges thereof, and shoe portions formed on each endof the bridge portion for slidably supporting the member on the keeper.

9. A locking member for paper fastener keepers comprising, asubstantially fiat bridge portion, an opening formed in the bridgeportion spacedly between the edges thereof, and grooved shoe portionsformed at each end of the bridge portion for s-lidably supporting themember on the keeper body.

10. A locking member for paper fastener keepers comprising, a bridgeportion for sliding the member, a downwardlyextending imperforatelocking boss formed on; the bridge portion spacedly between the edgesthereof, and grooved shoe portions formed on each end of the bridgeportion for slidably supporting the member on the keeper body.

11. A keeper for paper fasteners comprising, a keeper plate having asubstantially flat base portion extending between the ends thereofarranged to rest on the paper sheets secured by the fastener,perforations formed in the ends thereof, substantially flat spacedparallel rail portions formed on the keeper plate between the endsthereof, the rail portions being formed in a plane parallel. to theplane of the base portion but spaced there from, re-enforcing wallportions joining the edges of the base portion and the rail portions,the re-enforcing wall portions being positioned solely between the railand base portions, and locking membersslidably secured to the railportions arranged to slide between the ends thereof.

- 12. A keeper-for paper fasteners comprising, a keeper plate. having asubstantially flat base portion extending between the ends thereofarranged to rest on the paper sheets secured by the fastener,perforations formed in the ends thereof, substantially flat spacedparallel rail portions formed on the keeper plate between the endsthereof, the rail portions being formed in a plane parallel to the planeof the base portion but positioned spacedly thereabove, re-enforcingWall portions joining the edges of the base and rail portions, there-enforcing wall portion being positioned solely below the railportions, and locking members slidably secured to the rail portionsarranged to be moved between the ends thereof.

13. In a paper fastener, a clamping member having spaced fingersthereon, and a keeper member comprising an elongated keeper plate havingperforated end portions for receiving the fingers therethrough, U-shaped re-enforcing portions on the end portions, the legs of the Ufacing inwardly from the ends of the end portions and extending beyondthe perforations for re-enforcing the end portions, a base portionextending between the end portions thereof, spaced rail portions on thebase portion, and locking members slidably mounted on the rail portionsarranged to slide over the fingers after the bending downwardly thereofover the keeper plate.

14. A keeper plate for paper fastener keepers comprising, an elongatedbase portion, rail portions formed on the edges of the base portion, endportions formed coextensively with the ends of the base and railportions, perforations formed in the end portions, and U-shapedre-enforcing portions on the end portions, the open endof the U facingthe ends of the rail portions.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York, and State of NewYork, this 16th day of August, A. D. 1932.

OSCAR A. ROSS.

